Coach Highlight: Girls Lacrosse Coach Kat Opiola
I was not a lacrosse player. I only grew up playing or knowing the sport existed when I was twelve. Instead, I was a performer, a ballerina. My first steps were practically taken in the warm heat of the spotlight. This year’s season marks my fifth year playing lacrosse and my fifth year after quitting dance in search of an exciting sport to fall in love with. I left dance because I wanted to be a part of something and part of a team that supports and learns from each other. For the last three years, I have played for the girls’ team at Providence, and this lacrosse team is all I could ever want; it is supportive, kind, and fun. However, as much as I love the team, this is only possible with our fantastic coach, Coach Kat.
Much like me, Coach Kat did not grow up playing lacrosse simply because it was not a well-known sport—and compared to other sports, today, it still isn’t. Instead, she circulated through sports teams that would allow girls to participate since competitive sports for girls were also scarce. However, she found the sport as an adult and went on to coach both boys and girls for five years before coming to Providence. At the end of the day, she has a lot of experience with lacrosse as both a player and a coach.
On that note, I am very grateful she decided to coach us because of her impact on our team. At practice, she always gets us motivated to work to improve not just our skills but our mindset as well. She states, “I want to [do] more than just pass on my love for lacrosse but teach teamwork, [ remove] the word ‘can’t’ from [the team’s] vocabulary and teach them not to be afraid of failure.” These are the words of a coach who is genuinely dedicated to bettering the team in every way possible. Even on the most challenging days, even when we get crushed 0-20, instead of getting discouraged, she uses these experiences to help us learn from our mistakes in hopes that we can overcome our next opponent 20-0.
Another matter worth noting is how she integrates new players into the program annually. She considers this task “difficult because the sport is so new and not many people know about it.” Popular sports tend to retain the most attraction because of the many youth programs there; this makes it hard for new sports like lacrosse to gain traction. However, this makes it even more enjoyable when people show interest in the sport. So, if you’re interested, consider joining our girls’ or boys’ team here at Providence!
In general, Coach Kat and the girl’s lacrosse team have made me love lacrosse more than I ever thought I would. If I hadn’t quit dancing all those years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to experience what it is actually like to be on a team. Coach Kat is looking forward to the first practice this upcoming season and getting the season underway with new players. Seeing the team grow throughout the season gives her a great sense of accomplishment since introducing players to lacrosse culture is very important to her. In conclusion, this season will be another great one, especially with a hardworking coach like Coach Kat.
Sources: Kat Opiola
